Crisis in the Kingdom

A warning inside Splash Mountain
applies outside the Disney world as well

As a whole, the Disney company has done a pretty good job at managing scandals and crises throughout its existence. It's not to say that negative stories don't exist - because they certainly do - but the Walt Disney Company has handled situations calmly, professionally, and, often, privately, settling matters before they become unstoppably viral and taint the entire reputation of the brand.

Jim Lewis

Disney Vacation Club hasn't faced a lot scandal in its limited years of existence, and what might be considered its most serious crisis happened just a few months ago. Problems surrounding the sale of Aulani, their new resort in Hawaii, prompted the removal of three top Disney officials, including Jim Lewis, then president of the Disney Vacation Club.

Less than two weeks before the resort was scheduled to welcome its first visitors, sales of DVC contracts for Aulani were halted in August due to financial issues for resort management, as reported by many media outlets including the Orlando Sentinel. Dues, paid by members annually for maintenance of their home resorts, were reportedly set too low during the initial sales period, and would not be sufficient to operate the beautiful resort.

The issue has since been resolved, with original contract holders compensated for the higher dues and new contracts including appropriate costs, but this crisis was an interesting one to witness as an established DVC member. As previously discussed, DVC generally concentrates on their marketing efforts rather than communicating with their stakeholders and potential members about more serious news and topics. Without a lot of crisis management history to draw from, this continued throughout the trouble this summer as well.

Claire Bilby, casting a shadow
that looks like Mickey Mouse

With social networking and instant communication, however, fans and members began discussing the topic on various message boards well before it became "public" knowledge in the media. Most of the discussion included questions about why the sale of Aulani was put on hold, with speculation running rampant about possibilities. It was not until Claire Bilby was announced as Jim Lewis' replacement that any official news about the change in leadership was announced.

To be fair, there were legal circumstances preventing DVC from releasing all the details of what caused the problems at Aulani and the shake up in leadership, though I'm sure Disney was also protecting their brand, particularly in light of the plans for DVC expansion starting with Aulani.

Welcome to the neighborhood, Ms. Bilby!

Let's get back to the strategies in crisis management, however. Without a dedicated blog or clear communication channel specifically for investors, government or the community, DVC was mute on the topic until a resolution was reached and plans were in place to compensate those impacted by the trouble. An announcement celebrating Claire Bilby's appointment was delivered to the email of all DVC members a few days after the media was introduced to her in her new role, though no mention was made of the delay in sales at Aulani. Anyone who was not actively seeking out DVC information or looking to purchase points at Aulani was likely to be completely oblivious to the reasons behind Bilby's promotion.

I think the most important strategy in a crisis, particularly like the one DVC has just weathered, is honesty. Honesty, in my opinion, demonstrates confidence by the company - they're not afraid to tell you what's going on because they're sure they can fix it. With that being said, I don't think it's necessary to wave red flags at a group of people who aren't immediately concerned with or impacted by the issues at hand. For those asking questions, appropriate answers should be provided - for example, many DVC members, like these, reported frustration caused by confusion and a lack of answers by their guides.

Going back to my earlier blogs about how the public impacts the DVC brand, I think it is again important to note that Disney and DVC are not an interchangeable entity when it comes to their stakeholders. While fans of the Walt Disney Company, and Walt Disney World in particular, are engaged in the name and the faith they have in the brand, DVC members literally take on ownership of it. It's not always enough to feed them (well, us) pixie dust and Mickey ice cream bars (I speak for others - for me, food shaped like Mickey generally IS enough) because they're just as interested in the inner workings of the division.

Now, on the other hand, the greatest DVC crisis I've ever been personally impacted by? I call it "THE DROUGHT". Nearly eight LOOOOONG months since my last visit home.

And I'll be taking care of that crisis myself next week. Stay tuned.

Let the Memories Begin!!

Cast of Characters

The personality of DVC. The voice of DVC. The face of DVC.


Disney Vacation Club continues to expand and evolve, and with those changes, DVC is also working towards better defining each of those three things. So what does each currently mean to its members, potential buyers and other stakeholders? Who best represents the company?

Nice place to visit...

As previously discussed, DVC uses various websites, blogs and social networking to engage the public, some more effectively than others. The blog most often used for DVC updates is the Disney Parks blog, and the entries are written to focus on the magic and wonderment most often sought from Disney as a parent company. These entries frequently feature photos or video to enhance the experience, and in my opinion, are usually indistinguishable from entries focusing on other aspects of the Disney parks. This, of course, is a good move for Disney - one blog covers all Disney Parks (and resorts), sharing the same types of news and stories.

The personality is covered, but what of the voice? For current members and those serious about considering the investment, a separate blog strictly for DVC may be a good consideration. Disney fans, and especially Vacation Club members, love fluffy news stories about pixie dust, but we're also interested in the heavier content about the refurbishment projects at our home property, updates to our perks and benefits, and changes to transportation throughout the resort. Though members have their own website, the information is updated slowly, and "news" is usually spread through unofficial websites before reaching official ones. The question of who to write this type of blog? Well, as I've mentioned before, I'd be happy to volunteer, as would the many DVC bloggers already on the web, but I also think newly named President Claire Bilby could use this as a way to engage her stakeholders.

Which brings up another question - who is the face of Disney Vacation Club?

Who else?

DVC Members, of course!

We'll sell DVC for the price
of a bag of popcorn!

Disney Vacation Club regularly recruits real families to represent the program by starring in print and video advertisements, including "specials" that air on national tv. (Tip:  Disney disguised their 30-minute infomercials as a "special" called Disney Storybook Vacations.) Even on site, through a program called "Welcome Home Wednesdays", current members are invited to bring visiting friends and families to an open-house with Deevy Cee, where they compete for prizes by answering trivia questions about the resort, membership, and their own vacation memories. What do they (ok, fine, WE, because if there's prizes to be won, you better believe my butt is in the room) get for a couple hours of their time?

A free bag of popcorn!


What better spokesperson than one who is excited about your brand and willing to work for free? 

The only celebrity that needs to attach his name to DVC is the one already attached to it - Walt Disney. The Disney name, despite occasional criticism, is generally thought of in a very positive way, especially in regards to vacationing. What celebrity is as universally trusted in the way the Walt Disney Company is? Sure, Walt may not have introduced DVC to us via his Wonderful World of Color the way he showed us Disneyland, but his legacy of commitment to quality and innovation continues through every brand with his name attached to it. Few, if any, celebrities enjoy this same general trust from the public at large.

Though I don't imagine it happening anytime soon (based on recent requests from members for photos, videos and memories), if DVC decided to select a celebrity spokesperson, it would have to be someone as authentic as their members, preferably a member themselves.  What celebrity can you think of that needs to use a timeshare for his family vacations? (Side note: I actually do know of a few celebrities who own points through DVC, but none of them would be terribly effective spokespeople.)

And of course, if DVC chose to go the celebrity route, they've got their own cast of characters to chose from who, I'm sure, would be happy to say a few nice words!

Have your people call my people, Mickey!

As a parent brand, Disney enjoys overwhelmingly positive media relations. Of course, this likely has something to do with the fact that, as a parent brand, Disney is directly related to some very important media outlets, the ABC network among them. But how do these relationships impact Disney Vacation Club? How is DVC using traditional and new media strategies to introduce their name to potential stakeholders, including business partnerships, investors, and, especially, potential customers?

The answer - in my opinion - is not all that well.

In an effort to respond to the prompts for this assignment, I combed through the pages at the DVC website and through Google hits, trying to determine exactly what strategies DVC was using in regards to media relations. As a member myself (and therefore an involved and observing stakeholder), I wasn't entirely surprised that it was difficult to find, but I was surprised at how scarce it was even after searching. In fact, most of my Google hits led back to either fan websites or others associated with timeshares in general, not DVC specifically.

To begin with, the site map for DVC offers minimal contact information in regards to media inquiries. Though there are links about the program, resorts, FAQs and support, there are no direct contacts provided for media communications.

A Google search for "DVC Press Release" did bring me to a page dedicated to the topic, but the information is grossly outdated - the most recent release listed was posted over a year and a half ago (April 2010) and that pesky old version DVC logo still remains. I thought perhaps contact info would be available within the content of the release, but they all directed back to websites for more information.

One aspect of "new media" DVC has embraced is an active Facebook page, as discussed in a previous blog entry. The page is an effective way of engaging stakeholders through polls, announcements, and multimedia entries like photos and videos, and less than a year after its establishment, the page boasts close to just under 50,000 "likes". In terms of consistent branding, the familiar scroll of the Disney name identifies it as part of the larger company, though the actual DVC logo is not featured prominently on their profile page. Beyond Facebook and the occasional guest spot at the Disney Parks Blog, however, DVC has not yet become an active fixture in new media sites.

To be fair, DVC is a component of Disney, and their parent company provides a fairly useful and updated interface for access to the media. The corporate site provides news releases by date as well as a directive to contact via email for media inquiries related to the Walt Disney Company. Still, however, it does not provide a direct link to follow up on DVC related inquiries.

On the bright side, however, Disney (and therefore DVC) has a major media advantage with ownership of the ABC Network and regularly uses the station and broadcasts to release news and updates, particularly through their morning programming, Good Morning America. When there are special events, Disney regularly uses the show to showcase their parks, resorts and whatever else their fans might be interested in seeing (and spending money on, if they could only get there!)  This was the case with the recent opening of A'ulani, DVC's newest resort in Hawaii, when weatherman Sam Champion broadcasted live from the resort, showing off features and magic of the amazing resort. The show periodically went live to the resort, essentially becoming a two hour commercial for DVC.

In my opinion, DVC's role in the Walt Disney Company is changing in the moment, so their media strategies are likely to change in the coming months and years as well. Up until recently, DVC has had a very targeted audience - as their reach expands, it will become increasingly necessary for them to expand their strategies as well.

Until then, I guess it's a matter of waiting for Mickey's people to call my people.

Home Away From Home

If you've ever taken a Disney vacation, chances are the hardest part about taking that trip (even worse than the credit card bills that come as a special souvenir the next month) is returning to reality when it's over. As some readers of my previous entries have noted, a Disney vacation is an immersive experience, especially when you stay at one of their resorts. Transitioning back to a place where security guards don't wish you "a magical day" and Stop & Shop cashiers aren't asking for your "autograph" and all the chocolate and cookies aren't "diet" (don't act like I'm the only one who cheats on vacation) creates a tough re-entry period. This is particularly true when you're a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Member, and your entire itinerary becomes a trip "home".

On the bright side, even if you're not a member, DVC and Disney provide plenty of ways for you to stay connected and live vicariously through other vacationers as you count down the days to your next trip. Of course, there are literally hundreds of links to lead visitors deeper and deeper into the  Walt Disney World website, but what does DVC have to offer?

Members vote on the new design for the popular
"Member Since" buttons - blue won by a landslide

To start, upon visiting their website, you are invited to "like" the official DVC Facebook page, the only official social network produced outside of the Disney domain for the DVC brand. The page engages fans frequently, posting photos and videos of interest, updating news articles, and even polling their fans for feedback. The page is open to the public - you are not required to be a member to access any part of the site or participate in polls.

Interestingly, though several of the Disney vacation brands have active and informative Twitter accounts (including Disney Parks, Disneyland, and Disney World), there is not currently a verified account set up for DVC. Perhaps they're just waiting for the right Social Media Maven to come along and work her magic for the DVC brand?

*shameless plug*

(Note to DVC: I'm TOTALLY available.)





Though DVC does not have an official presence on any of the popular social media hubs besides Facebook, they have found ways to share information and media via Disney Parks Blog, set up for use by all entities within the Disney Parks brand. The blog is updated several times a week with interesting entries from different writers, each within his or her own specialty, including DVC. Posts tagged as "DVC" related can be searched for easy access to relevant material, or guests can search by specific resort if that is their interest. Archives include organization by popular tags, category, and date, and popular articles are recommended for reading as well.


As a fan, I particularly appreciate being able to openly comment on blog entries and receive quick responses to my inquiries. Though comments are moderated, I have seen enough negative feedback and spirited discussion on select topics to believe the moderation filters more for content inconsistent with a "family brand" blog than for criticism. I believe this interaction fosters the relationship of fans to the brand, as they are also encouraged to submit questions. Fans are also provided with shortcuts to share articles via Twitter, email, or Facebook, though other platforms (such as Google+) are not yet available.

Deevy Cee, self-proclaimed
First Lady of DVC

Again, being part of the Disney brand and particularly with roots deeply ingrained in Disney World, DVC has the luxury to access plenty of popular web real estate to host their material, and as such has not set up an active presence with many outside platforms. As noted in a previous blog, DVC provides video tours and informational pieces on both the official website and through their "spokescharacter", Deevy Cee.  Deevy's website is a truly Disney experience, and the "First Lady" herself became a popular guest at DVC events, particularly on-site at Disney World. Deevy was created to, basically, give DVC a mascot who was so over the top, members couldn't help but love her.

Except not all of them did.

When DVC leadership changed several months ago and the image (like the logo discussed in a previous blog) began undergoing a more global makeover, Deevy's future came into question. Though no official announcement has been made, it has been some time since "Deevy" posted a new video, the logo is not updated, and there is no mention of the newest DVC resort - Aulani, in Hawaii - on her site. Perhaps these would be minor details for most businesses, but Disney would refer to such outdated material as "bad show", which has fueled the rumors of Deevy's demotion.

Besides Facebook and the disney.com sites, however, DVC is often featured on the Disney Parks Youtube channel, and a special video is chosen to be featured on the Disney Parks Blog front page. Most of the videos in the collection are less than two minutes long - just enough time to take a mini vacation to, say, Hawaii, via a time lapse video showing the growth of the newest DVC resort.

Like the rest of the Disney brand, DVC is closely monitored in regards to its "webutation", but the content that is made available to those seeking information fits seamlessly with the other entities in their family. Because of the nature of the business (a time share that's not a time share), I think there are certainly going to be some questions that are better suited to speaking to an agent than searching for answers online, and DVC does offer live "chats" for basic responses. For more specific questions that would require sales expertise on a case-by-case basis, potential members can request contact by a DVC sales agent.

At any rate, witnessing the increased activity of the DVC Facebook page and Disney Parks Blogs entries indicates a growth in focus on social media for the Disney Vacation Club brand as they continue to seek feedback from not only their members, but potential members as well. As I count down towards my next trip, I'll be looking forward to those updates even more!

Disney's Best Kept Secret

Are you ready for adventure? 

Disney Vacation Club (DVC) has been billed as “Disney’s Best Kept Secret”, luring in potential members via strategically placed kiosks in the Disney theme parks and resorts, challenging them to explore the secret. That’s the thing about us members – we love being in on the secret. Of course, when establishing your business, being branded with the Disney name can be both a blessing and a curse. The foundation of the parent organization begins as unique, authentic, and talkable, but that leaves a great challenge to prove your individual merits as well.

A DVC window display at Disney's Hollywood Studios

At first glance, DVC is offering a product that anyone has access to – hotel rooms and vacation packages. What makes them unique is how the product can be accessed. With a captive audience of vacationers having the time of their lives, DVC pitches the possibility: Imagine if you could lock into generations of amazing, deluxe vacations today. The memories you’re making this afternoon? You can revisit them every year. You can expand on them in faraway places. You can capture this vacation, and DVC can help you guarantee you’ll always have another one to look forward to. You’re prepaying on magic, putting memories on layaway, and you get to pick when, where and how you’ll enjoy them.

That’s it.

Despite the fact that the Orlando area boasts one of the country’s highest number of hotel rooms (2^nd only to Las Vegas if you believe Spencer Reid of Criminal Minds) and there are plenty of other vacation clubs to choose from that are arguably a better value, Disney sells based on its authenticity. The company has spent more than 80 years establishing a tradition of family, quality, and magic, and their Cast Members (employees) are trained to evoke these values (or at least get very good at pretending). DVC extends that heritage into an “exclusive” club where you’ve become part of the family, and the commitment is apparent in most – if not all – of the Cast Members you meet on your trips.

Art the Greeter at the Beach Club Villas

As an example, a woman named Mary works the coffee bar at one of our home resorts, and every time we’re there, she remembers my family and I, speaking with us in familiar tones as if it had been days and not months since the last time we met.  Obviously, not every person you encounter will be a Mary, but if there are enough of them greeting you with a “Welcome Home”, you feel good about your membership and share that with others. The authenticity breeds talkability, as travelers begin sharing stories about an Art the Greeter in the Beach Club lobby (who even has his own facebook page!), proudly wear the DVC logo on their hats, and encourage friends to check it all out for themselves.

The Original Logo

Interesting, Disney Vacation Club introduced a new logo this summer, initially debuting the design in the members-only magazine Disney Files. The original logo meant to encourage vacationers to consider trips beyond the parks.  Mickey Mouse, mountains, palm trees, waves – DVC wanted everyone to know that members could travel anywhere.

New Logo - Which do you like better?

When the new logo – a more simple Mouse-eared blue globe of the world - was discussed on a Disney Parks blog entry , many members expressed disappointment in the new design. Various websites criticized the look for replacing the whimsy of a truly Disney design with a sleeker, indistinct corporate logo.

As DVC continues to expand and seek a market beyond the theme park vacationer, the company faces an interesting challenge – how can they focus on capturing the interest (and dollars) of travelers who aren’t traditionally Disney fans without abandoning the pixie dust that has made them successful in the industry? For many families – ours included – DVC allows Deluxe DISNEY accommodations to be affordable.

The key word? DISNEY.

Though the opportunity is present and the process is not overly cumbersome, trading into other types of vacations isn’t typically a great value. Many families use their DVC points exclusively for stays at Disney World, where the dollar per point value does make it a good deal. There is some resistance to letting go of that attachment to the Magic Kingdom and focusing on a world to explore.

It’s not only the logo that has changed, however – Disney has auditioned various taglines, some of which I have already quoted: “If you believe in magic, you belong.” “Discover Disney’s Best Kept Secret.” “Discover a Magical Way to Vacation.”

DVC has also introduced a spokes-character by the name of Deevy Cee, the self-proclaimed “First Lady of Disney Vacation Club”, the details of whom I’ll be covering in a forthcoming blog. Deevy, like the new logo, has endured her share of criticism, though for the opposite reason – many proud members believe her over-the-top personality cheapens the DVC brand. Check out the video below for just a sampling of what an afternoon with Deevy can be like as she introduces the most recent addition to the Walt Disney World family of DVC resorts.

Changes to the DVC brand have definitely come about in response to the planned expansion of the company, but they are also working hard to maintain the legacy of quality that is the foundation of any venture with the Disney name attached to it. Though detractors will complain about a new logo or mock Deevy, members are fiercely protective of “their” DVC and ultimately act as ambassadors for the brand.

Like I said - members really like being in on the secret.
But we're really just not all that good at keeping it secret. 

Go ahead, ask me something. Except don't ask if I'm allowed back here because technically....no.

Do you believe in magic?

“Welcome Home.”

Two simple words, but two simple words I waited almost a quarter of a century to hear.

Not gonna lie, totally worth $3.75.

These are the words that greet you when you begin your vacation as a Disney Vacation Club member. The words they feed you to distract you from the sting of $4 ice cream bars. The words that justify spending $15 on a single photo of your boyfriend screaming like a little girl on the Tower of Terror. The words that let you hug a sweaty college kid in a mouse suit without it being weird. (Well, without it being too weird.)

And I bought into it.

Not just figuratively, though I did fall pretty hard and pretty quick under the influence of pixie dust, but literally as well. And in the lucky seven years I’ve been a member of DVC, I’ve been asked countless times about what it is, how it works and whether it’s the right choice for my family and friends. I’ve always answered them based on experience – this time, for CM:502, I’m going to answer based on business.

Disney Vacation Club - DVC as we members call it - is The Walt Disney Company's vacation ownership program. Some might compare it to a timeshare...but some might also compare Disney World to Six Flags, and that would be wrong too. The official line describes DVC as "a vacation ownership program that's not only flexible and affordable, it's a convenient and cost-effective way for you and your family to see the world - now and for years to come!"

Ok, fine, it's a timeshare.

Founded in 1991 when the first DVC resort (renamed Disney's Old Key West Resort five years later) opened in Walt Disney World, the program sells "points" to members as real-estate interest, which can then be used to stay at any of their resorts or traded out for stays at participating partner hotels. Unlike a traditional timeshare, DVC points allow flexibility not only in location and dates, but also in accommodation size. From a studio or a three-bedroom treehouse grand villa in Disney World to a suite in New York or a week on a cruise, you can vacation anywhere...provided you buy enough points.

Disney's Vero Beach Resort

Predicting that families would not want to vacation exclusively at Disney theme parks, DVC's expansion in the mid-1990's included resorts at Hilton Head, SC and Vero Beach, FL. Since then, a total of six more DVC resorts have opened at Disney World, another one at the Disneyland Resort in California, and most recently, a brand new DVC resort in Hawaii. By providing choices branded with their name and commitment to quality, Disney invites potential DVC members to invest in a lifetime of family vacations.

(And by lifetime...they really mean 50 years or when the deed runs out, whichever comes first depending on which resort is your "home". Sorry, future kids. Mommy's only got your Disney dreams covered til 2042.)

So who are these potential members? If their website is any indication, you'd think it was a gaggle of pint-sized girls in princess dresses paying the bills. Surely, of course, it's the parents - and grandparents - of thousands of these girls that DVC is targeting. Enticing Mom and Dad with the giggles and smiles of their own children, promising them adventures even after they've outgrown their Cinderella gowns. (Not pictured: the tears and tantrums that show up on hot July afternoons, the short fuses that manifest by day three of sharing a single bathroom, and the sulky attitudes of the teenagers who won't want to be seen in public with you by the time your contract is a dozen years old.)

(Not the author's family, though there have been moments...)

Disney isn't selling a timeshare with DVC - we all know what we're buying when we sign the deeds. It's all over their site - "The Disney Difference". Heritage, tradition, memories, family...magic. Prior to recent rebranding efforts as they look to expand beyond theme park fans, DVC's tagline was "If you believe in magic, you belong." There was even a theme song that, unfortunately, I can't locate on youtube. People trust Disney for their legacy of service, quality, and the nostalgia of it all, and DVC believes if you've experienced it once, you're going to want to own a piece of it.

I know I did. 

And this was the view from my bed last summer.

Welcome home, indeed.